Table tennis bat



Jan. 12, 1954 H. E. GRAY TABLE TENNIS BAT Filed March 21, 1952 7 JNVENTOR figs Howard 15'.

Patented Jan. 12, 19 54 UNITED STA-res.

rear QFFIC- TABLE TENNIS- BAT Howard'E. Gray,-Toronto, Ontario, Canada ApplicationMai-ckzl, 1952, Serial No. 277,849

6 Claims;

Witliwhich a gameof the type of table tennis may be played'but which'game'may be played on aconsiderably'smaller surface-and with a player area of 'much more limited extent.

Another object isto-provide a gameof the type: mentioned whichis of relatively simple manufacture and low cost.

The. invention will be described .with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a device in accordance .with the invention,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device,.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of tamodified form of playing device,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5is a side elevation of a game assembly, and

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of a game board.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the playing device comprises a ball propelling member or bat generally indicated at i. The bat comprises a flat, rigid body 2 constructed of any suitable material such as wood, plastic, metal, plywood, or the like. The body presents a wholly flat, rigid, forward or ball-engaging surface 3. As shown, the peripheral shape of the body 2 is rectangular but it may vary Within wide limits. A handle 4 is fixed to the rear surface of the body in any suitable manner.

The handle extends in a rearward, angular direction with respect to the face 3 and in this regard differs considerably from the ordinary bat in which the handle lies in the same or parallel plane as the ball-engaging face. As shown, the handle comprises a generally rectangular block fixed at one end to the body 2. The block is located midway between the side edges of the body 2 and has a bottom face 5, lying in a plane which is in angular relation but parallel to the plane of face 3. Bottom face 5 also preferably has at least two surface portions 6 and l lying in angular relation to each other. At least one portion 6 is disposed beyond the peripheral confines of the body member 2, or in other words, the portion 6 lies in a plane which is substantially coincident with the plane of the lower edge of body 2 or lies outwardly thereof. As shown, the surface 6 is flat, adjacent and perpendicular to face 3, and: the; surface 1.? is flat; contiguousand: at angle of approximately 30.= tov surfaced. Also,"

as-showmthe area of surface I is at least: as great as that 'of Isurface 6.5

Referring toFigures 3 and-:4, a somewhat modified form of'playing device wherein thaflat, rigid: body 8 of' a bat I I hasna: forward balleengaging surface -9, straight. lower edge itiandacurved.

upperedge H; A handle-1221s; similar to handle t butthas a curved bottomiface 3, the lowermost edge of which is in adjoining 'alignedrelation with edge In.

While thesdi'mensionsrfof the device may vary substantially;-' a satisfactory .sizeiof:Tsurface '3 or 9: is -seven inches :high. by five i inches wide overalLi table =provided with suitable markings and having:

a rigid or semi-rigid ball-engageable barrier or net I5 mounted thereon in transversely extending relation. The game is played with a small sponge rubber or like ball 55. The net is preferably only about 1 inches high so that the top edge portion of the bat is well above the net when a bottom portion thereof is resting on the table.

The bats are not held freely in the hand as in ordinary table tennis but are pushed along the table or game board surface on the bottom face 5 or I3. The faces 6 and i of hat I provide a choice of two fixed angular relations of the ballengaging surface 3, i. e. one at 90 and one at with respect to the game board top, as a result of which a considerable range of control of ball manipulation is possible When the ball is engaged by the surface at a 60 angle, it is directed upwardly but because of back spin imparted thereto, as illustrated, its distance of travel and bounce in the opposite court is restricted. When the ball is engaged by the surface at a angle, it has a lower flight whereby it is adapted t just clear the net with greater speed and less distance of travel.

As players become expert at the game, various other angular inclinations of the surface 5 may be attained by tilting the bat on one of the corners of surfaces 6 or 7, the bat of course resting on the board top at all times. The bat H has been For practical.

designed for expert players, who may choose at will the angular relation of surface 9 simply by rocking the hat on the curved bottom face 13.

It will be apparent that the device will result in a highly entertaining adaptation of the table tennis game and one in which the opportunity for development of skilful play is outstanding.

One of the most important features of the game is that it can be played on a surface of restricted area. Thus, a game board or table top of '7 feet by 2 feet is quite sufiicient area for play. Moreover, since the bats are never removed from the playing surface during play, the player never has to move more than a foot or so away from the playing surface. Thus, only a relatively small amount of player area space is required.

Figure 6 illustrates a suitable type of folding game board which may be employed for the game. As shown, the board comprises four similar sections IT, a flexible tape or the like [8 hingedly joining the sections together along their longitudinal adjoining edges, and a flexible tape or the like I9 hingedly joining the adjoining end edges of two of the sections. It will be apparent that such a board may be folded into a space roughly one quarter of its normal length and width.

The bat may also be constructed for folding or dissembly purposes to facilitate packing or storage. Thus, the handle may be detachable from the body, and the body may be formed in two or more hinged parts.

What is claimed is:

1. A game playing device for sliding movement on a game playing surface comprising a flat sheet having top, bottom and side edges, a rear face and a fiat, forward, ball-engageable face, and a handle for manual reception rigidly fixed to said rear face, said handle having top and bottom faces and side hand-engaging surfaces each extending continuously between said top and bottom faces, said handle having an overall width which is but a minor portion of the overall width of said sheet and being located midway between said side edges of the sheet, said handle having said bottom surface portion being flat in longitudinal contour, said bottom face having a second flat surface portion lying in angular, contiguous relation to said first surface portion.

3. A game playing device as defined in claim 1, said bottom surface portion being flat in longitudinal contour and in substantially perpendicular relation to said forward face of the sheet.

4. A game playing device as defined in claim 1, said bottom surface portion being continuously curved in longitudinal contour.

5. A game playing device as defined in claim 1, said bottom surface portion lying in a plane substantially coincident with the plane of said bottom edge of the sheet.

6. A game playing device as defined in claim 1, said forward face of the sheet having a width not substantially less than four inches and not substantially more than five inches, and a height not substantially less than six inches and not substantially more than seven inches.

HOWARD E. GRAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 454,700 Barker June 23, 1891 703,911 Girdwood July 1, 1902 1,502,634 Ingebritson July 22, 1924 1,930,281 Ogden Oct. 10, 1933 2,161,463 Frost June 6, 1939 2,477,531 Volman July 26, 1949 

